Curious Cures – Cambridge University Library Special Collections

Curious Cures: the making of a medieval folded manuscript

Posted on 25 June 2025 by Special Collections

This post is by Beckett Thornber, an MA Conservation Studies student, specialising in books and library materials, at West Dean College. He spent six weeks […]

Anniversaries, Conservation, Curious Cures, Exhibitions, Medicine, Medieval manuscripts, Special Collections

Cucumbers for Constipation and Vinegar for Verrucas: Curious Cures from the 21st Century

Posted on 28 April 2025 by James Freeman

The University Library’s new exhibition – Curious Cures: Medicine in the Medieval World – delves into the intriguing, strange and sometimes improbable medical recipes from […]

Curious Cures, Exhibitions, Manuscripts, Medieval manuscripts, Special Collections

A Tudor Medical Manuscript: Winchester Geese, Bullet Extractors, and Cataplasms from the Court of Henry VIII

Posted on 17 April 2025 by Clarck Drieshen

Followers of the Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries project who also listen BBC Radio 4 comedy show The Unbelievable Truth may have heard some very […]

Curious Cures, Manuscripts, Medieval manuscripts, Special Collections

A Cure from the Crypt: Weapon Salve in the Library of John Dee

Posted on 31 October 2024 by Clarck Drieshen

The astrologer, occultist, and alchemist John Dee (1527–1609) has long been associated with the art of necromancy – conjuring the spirits of the dead – […]

Curious Cures, Digitisation, Medicine, Medieval manuscripts, Special Collections

Childbirth and charms: two new online exhibitions

Posted on 7 June 2024 by Special Collections

This guest post is by Summer Mainstone-Cotton and Aine Widdicombe, who are Masters students at the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge respectively. Earlier this year, […]

Curious Cures, Exhibitions, Medicine, Medieval manuscripts, Special Collections

Thomas Wort, ‘leech’, and his book of remedies

Posted on 12 April 2024 by Special Collections

This post comes as part of our series from the Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries project, courtesy of Project Conservator Marina Pelissari and Project Cataloguer Clarck Drieshen.

Curious Cures, Medicine, Medieval manuscripts, Special Collections

Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries: Project Update

Posted on 7 March 2024 by Special Collections

The Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries project has been running since May 2022 and, as our two-year anniversary appears on the horizon, we thought followers […]

Curious Cures, Medicine, Medieval manuscripts, Special Collections

Culinary inspiration and dietary counsel from the Curious Cures project

Posted on 22 December 2023 by Special Collections

Have you ever wondered what food and drink medieval people enjoyed during Christmastime?

Curious Cures, Manuscripts, Special Collections

A cracking medical manuscript under the microscope

Posted on 11 December 2023 by Special Collections

This post comes as part of our series from the Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries project. Rachel Sawicki, Project Conservator, and Sarah Gilbert, Project Cataloguer, […]

Curious Cures, Medieval manuscripts, Special Collections